Results 561-580 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: In other public bodies outside the Civil Service. While returns for all public bodies for 2005 have not yet been received, the outstanding returns, including the local authorities, which have shown good achievement in previous years, show an average rate of 3.5% on 1 January 2004. Therefore, improvements are taking place and we are satisfied that this trend is ongoing. In respect of...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I do not have anything to add. I am absolutely satisfied that all of the points made by the Senator are covered in the reporting mechanisms which will be ongoing. This issue was debated at great length at an official level across all Departments and it was felt that it should be a statutory requirement, as outlined in the Bill, to ensure that people with disabilities were given adequate...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: This is a technical amendment to correct the offences provision in section 54. It clarifies that bodies corporate as well as specified individuals will be guilty of an offence and liable to prosecution, as appropriate.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I thank Members for the lively and interesting contributions they made to the debate on this important Bill. In particular, I thank the Opposition spokespersons who, as has been stated, put an enormous amount of work into this legislation. The legislation was complex and without having the significant backup which I enjoy as Minister of State, each of the Opposition spokespersons did an...

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: Amendment No. 1 is a technical amendment and makes it clear that the definition of specified bodies relates to bodies such as the HSE and the courts which operate with their own financial Votes and where the relevant Minister does not allocate funding. The change reflected in amendment No. 2 was sought by the DLCG at its recent meeting with the Taoiseach on 25 May. The Taoiseach indicated...

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: Not in legislation.

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: On a point of information, Deputy Lynch is incorrect. That is plainly incorrect.

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I cannot accept amendments Nos. 5 and 6, the effect of which would be to allow adopting parents the option of deciding which of them would avail of the additional unpaid adoptive leave. This would break the link between adoptive and maternity leave by opening the leave entitlement to adopting fathers, which would create an anomaly between the leave entitlements of adopting and natural fathers...

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill will allow fathers to take parental leave after the child has been adopted. It is not possible to accede to the Deputy's request at this time, as we want to maintain the link, parity and equality between maternity and adoptive leave. Unlike certain other countries, we do not have paternity leave here. This issue and a number of other amendments are the...

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: That is correct. The Deputy and I had this argument previously. I firmly believe in the social partnership model that has existed here for almost 20 years and has been the bedrock not only of industrial peace but also of very significant improvements in respect of family workplaces etc. As legislators it would be entirely inappropriate for us to make legislation without regard to the very...

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I remind the Deputy that the negotiations on social partnership begin next month. There have been no such negotiations since this Bill was introduced, so it was not possible to refer it back to the social partners.

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: It is fair to assume we will see changes coming about in the new partnership negotiations. Those changes can then be reflected in legislation along the lines the Deputy proposes if there is agreement between the social partners on the issue. I have not said there is anything wrong with what is being proposed but it is important that we retain the link which currently exists. If that link is...

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I wish to clarify for Deputy English that we do not have paternity leave in this country but we have a paternal leave Bill which is being passed and the impact of which will be put into practice in the coming months. Adopting fathers will then be allowed to take paternal leave any time after the placement of the adoptedchild.

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: We will get clarification for the Deputy regarding implementation, but this legislation covers the requirement being pointed out.

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: In the event of a new agreement being reached between the social partners on any aspect of maternity leave or perhaps the introduction of paternity leave — if that were to be agreed — or parental leave, then existing legislation would have to be brought back before the House and the agreed changes would have to be reflected in the new legislation. That would if necessary also apply to...

Prison Building Programme: Motion (Resumed). (29 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I welcome the opportunity to address the House on this matter. We have consistently heard criticism from Opposition Deputies of delays in implementing infrastructural projects. Social commentators are forever banging on at us about the lack of so-called joined-up Government. Despite this, when the Minister, Deputy McDowell, presses forward with a bold initiative to replace the 155 year old,...

Prison Building Programme: Motion (Resumed). (29 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: In response to the Deputy's colleague's claims, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, as he said in his speech, has no difficulty with the Comptroller and Auditor General carrying out a review, which he will do in due course.

Prison Building Programme: Motion (Resumed). (29 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: In examining the accounts of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Comptroller and Auditor General is free to carry out such a review at any stage and it is not a matter for the Minister. The Minister stated that he has no difficulty about this happening at any time.

Prison Building Programme: Motion (Resumed). (29 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, is to be congratulated. Time will prove this to be one of his best decisions as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.